In recent years Fridays have come and gone in the life of Paul Broadhurst with an occasional Pro-Am, speaking engagement or personal appearance. However this week Friday was a special day and one that means a lot in Paul's career, he turned 50 and this means he is a fully fledged member of the European Senior Tour.
With his debut coming at the Prostate Cancer UK Scottish Senior Open later this month the six-time European Tour winner and Ryder Cup player is one of a raft of players hurrying towards the next stage of their professional golf careers, joining the Senior Tour, as well as fellow Champions of Golf professional David Gilford who will be turning 50 later in the year.
Paul ommented “I have been wishing my life away from the age of 47! It’s been extremely frustrating waiting for the day I could become a member of the Senior Tour but it’s really exciting to be able to return to competitive golf again.”
Since playing the last of his 588 European Tour events in 2012, Broadhurst has been far from idle. He said: “For the last three years or so I have played an awful lot of golf in order to retain my competitiveness, mainly on the PGA Midlands circuit but also on mini-tours and overseas invitational events.
“I've worked hard for the last two years with the professional from Northants County Golf Club, Tim Rouse, and feel my game is in a better place than when I finished playing on the main Tour.”
Looking ahead to his debut at Archerfield Links from August 27-29, the Midlander said: “I am familiar with Archerfield, which I know quite well through the designer, DJ Russell, who is a friend of mine. I’ve seen guys like Woosie and Mark James over the years and I am looking forward to meeting up with them and a few more old pals on the Senior Tour.
“I'm still very competitive and can't wait to get started in Scotland and then in the Travis Perkins Masters at Woburn the following week. I will be nervous, I'm sure, but raring to go. I only have three or four events to play in 2015 so I'm looking for a fast start.”